Final: Revs 2, Union 0

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Diego Fagundez and Lee Nguyen scored 10 minutes apart midway through the second half and Bobby Shuttleworth recorded his second shutout of the season to lift the New England Revolution to a 2-0 win over the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium.

It was a fitting result on a night when the Revolution played its first home game since both the bombings at the Boston Marathon and since defender Kevin Alston was diagnosed with a rare but treatable form of leukemia. The evening featured tributes to both during a touching pregame ceremony and throughout the match.

The win was the first-ever for the Revolution (2-3-2, 8 pts.) over the Union (3-3-2, 11 pts.) after going winless in eight previous meetings.

For the first time this season the Revolution was forced to change its central defensive pairing as Stephen McCarthy stepped in to partner Jose Goncalves with A.J. Soares (R hamstring strain) sidelined.

Kelyn Rowe nearly opened the scoring for the Revs in the ninth minute when Nguyen’s low cross found him free six yards from goal, but Rowe scuffed the shot and popped his effort over the crossbar. Seven minutes later Kalifa Cisse went agonizingly close when his shot from the middle of the box flew inches wide.

The Revs continued to press and forced back-to-back saves out of Union goalkeeper Zac MacMath in the 22nd minute. Fagundez latched onto a defensive mistake and drilled a low shot from a tight angle which MacMath kicked away, while Jerry Bengtson put a header on target from the following corner kick.

After absorbing pressure for much of the first half, Philadelphia almost snatched a goal just before the interval. Michael Farfan used a nifty move to shake free inside the box and had a clear look at goal, but Shuttleworth came up with a huge save to tip the ball over the crossbar. Five minutes later Shuttleworth was massive again when he denied Danny Cruz as he streaked onto a through ball.

Gillette Stadium sprang to life in the 61st minute when Fagundez finally opened the scoring, giving the Revs their first goal in their third home game. Nguyen’s clever pass into the right side of the box released Rowe, whose cutback to the penalty spot found Fagundez for a cool finish past MacMath.

After waiting more than two-and-a-half games for their first goal at home, the Revs waited just 10 more minutes for their second as Nguyen doubled the Revolution’s lead to 2-0 in the 71st minute. Nguyen started the move by sending Saer Sene into the box and when Sene’s initial shot was saved, Nguyen was on hand to sweep home the rebound.

Shuttleworth made one last important save in the 84th minute when he dove to tip Jack McInerney’s shot around the post and preserve the shutout, New England’s fourth in seven games this season.

The Revs head back on the road next week for a rare Thursday night meeting with the Portland Timbers.

Today’s win was the Revs’ first-ever victory against the Union, which joined MLS in 2010

With the win, the Revolution moved to 1-5-3 in MLS regular-season action against Philadelphia

The win also moves the Revs’ home record against the Union to 1-2-1

Saturday’s win was the first time the Revs have scored more than one goal this season … the Revs scored one goal in two games this season – (1-0 win at Chicago on April 9 and 4-1 loss at New York on April 20)

The last time the Revs scored two goals was Sept. 5, 2012 – a 2-0 win at Gillette Stadium … the Revs played 12 games between multiple-goal games, spanning two seasons

Two Revs’ players scored their first goal of the season on Saturday

Diego Fagundez scored in the 61st minute, a goal that proved to be the eventual game-winner … it was his fifth career goal

Lee Nguyen added an insurance goal in the 71st minute … it was his sixth career MLS goal with the Revs

Bobby Shuttleworth earned his first win of the season … the goalkeeper is now 1-3-1 on the season

Shuttleworth also earned his second shutout of the season … the Revs also played to a 0-0 draw in Seattle on April 13 with Shuttleworth in net

This was the Revs’ fourth shutout of the season as a team … both Bobby Shuttleworth and Matt Reis have each recorded two shutouts this season

Andrew Farrell, Jose Goncalves and Lee Nguyen are the only three players to start every game this season

Stephen McCarthy earned his first start of the season on Saturday … McCarthy made his first appearance of 2013 in New York on April 20 when he came on as a substitute for A.J. Soares in the 18th minute

Diego Fagundez’s goal, other than New York’s own goal on April 20, was the Revs’ first goal since Jerry Bengtson’s game-winner at Chicago on March 9

Chris Tierney served as the team captain for the second straight game, and for the first time at home

Goalkeeper Matt Reis rejoined the team Saturday night at Gillette Stadium … Reis did not travel with the Revs last weekend to New York instead staying home to be with his family after his father-in-law suffered serious injuries during the Boston Marathon Bombings

The Revolution planned several activities to recognize the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing last week:

Approximately 7,000 tickets were distributed to Boston’s first responders, Boston Athletic Association (BAA) staff and volunteers and Boston-area hospitals in appreciation of their efforts on Marathon Monday